Pub. L. 88-426, tit. I, sec. 111

Sec. 111. (a) Section 3544 of title 39, United States Code, is amended, to read as follows: “§3544. Fourth Class Office Schedule “(a) There is established a basic compensation schedule which shall lie known as the Fourth Class Office Schedule and for which the symbol shall be ‘FOS’, for postmasters in post offices of the fourth class which is based on the revenue units of the post office for the preceding fiscal year. Basic compensation shall be paid to postmasters in post offices of the fourth class in accordance with this schedule. “fourth-class office schedule Per annum rates and steps 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 30 but less than 36 $3,769 $3,894 $4,010 $4,114 $4,269 $4,394 $4,519 $4,644 $4,769 $4,894 $5,019 $5,144 24 but less than 30 3,485 3,600 3,715 3,830 3,945 4,060 4,175 4,290 4,405 4,520 4,635 4,750 18 but less than 34 2,877 2,974 3,071 3,168 3,265 3,362 3,459 3,556 3,653 3,750 3,847 3,944 12 but less than 18 2,258 2,331 2,104 2,477 2,550 2,623 2,696 2,763 2,842 2,915 2,988 3,061 6 but less than 12 1,623 1,580 1,732 1,784 1,836 1,888 1,940 1,992 2,044 2,096 2,148 2,200 Less than 6 1,313 1,365 1,397 1,433 1,481 1,523 1,565 1,607 1,649 1,691 1,733 1,775”. “(b) The basic salary of postmasters in fourth-class post offices shall be readjusted for changes in revenue units at the start of the first pay period after January 1 of each year. When a post office is restored to a revenue unit category held by it prior to relegation to a lower revenue unit category, the postmaster’s basic salary may be adjusted to the highest salary step held by him when the post office was in the higher revenue unit category. In all other cases, in adjusting a postmaster’s basic salary under this section, the basic salary shall be fixed at the lowest step which is higher than the basic salary received by the postmaster at the end of the preceding fiscal year. If there is no such step the basic salary shall be fixed at the highest step for the adjusted revenue units of the office. Each increase in basic salary because of change in revenue units shall be deemed the equivalent of a step increase under section 3552 of this title and the waiting period, for purposes of advancement to the next step, shall begin on the date of adjustment. “(c) The basic salaries of postmasters at newly established offices of the fourth class shall be fixed at the lowest salary rate. Whenever unusual conditions prevail at any post office of the fourth class the Postmaster General may advance such office to the appropriate category based on his estimate of the number of revenue units which the office will have during the succeeding twelve months. Any fourth-class office advanced to the appropriate category pursuant to this subsection shall not be reduced in category until the start of the first pay period after January 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which it was so advanced, at which time it shall be assigned to the category indicated by the revenue units for the preceding fiscal year. “(d) Persons who perform the duties of postmaster at post offices of the fourth class where there is a vacancy or during the absence of the postmaster on sick or annual leave, or leave without pay, shall be paid the same basic salary to which they would have been entitled if regularly appointed as postmaster. “(e) The Postmaster General may allow to postmasters in fourth class post offices additional compensation for separating services and for unusual conditions during a portion of the year, in lieu of an allowance for clerical services tor this purpose. 78 Stat. 408 “(f) At seasonal post offices of the fourth class, the Postmaster General may authorize the payment of the basic salary prorated over the pay periods the office is open for business during the fiscal year. “(g) Where the revenue units of a post office of the third class for each of two consecutive fiscal years are less than 36, or where in any fiscal year the revenue units are less than 33, the post office shall be relegated to the fourth class and the basic salary of the postmaster shall be fixed in the manner provided in subsection (b) of this section. “(h) When required by the Postmaster General a postmaster at a fourth-class office shall, and any other postmaster in PFS level 5 when permitted by the Postmaster General may, furnish quarter’s, fixtures, and equipment for an office on an allowance basis. The allowance for this purpose shall be an amount equal to la per centum of the basic compensation for the postmaster at the office.” (b) As of the effective date of this section, the Postmaster General shall place the position of each postmaster in a fourth-class office in the appropriate revenue units category of the Fourth-Class Office Schedule (FOS) determined on the basis of revenue units for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1963. The Postmaster General shall assign each such postmaster to the lowest step of the appropriate revenue units category which will provide him compensation not less than 110per centum of the compensation to which he would otherwise be entitled under FOS II (as it existed immediately prior to the effective date of this section). If there is no such step or category, the postmaster shall be paid compensation at. the rate of 110 per centum of the compensation to which he would otherwise be entitled under FOS II (as it existed immediately prior to the effective date of this section). (c) If changes in the gross receipts category or changes in salary step would occur on the effective date of this section (without regard to the enactment of this section), such changes shall be deemed to have occurred prior to any action taken under subsection (b) of this section.